The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 76

in spirit when thus encountered by prejudice, worldliness, and unbelief. 2. Ezekiel had been ma.de to feel the difficulties arising from the feebleness and insufficiency of the spiritual labourer. It iB hard to face a. powerful foe; but to do so becomes har,ler when the warrior is conscious of bis own weakness, And this has been the experience of every faithful servant of God. Often has the minister of Christ, overpowered by a sense of his impotence, cried aloud, "Who is sufficient for these things?" II. CELESTIAL VOICES COME TO REANIMATE, TO COMFORT, AND TO STRENGTHEN THE SERVANT OF Goo. When the prophet was depressed by his experiences and appre- hensions, the Spirit lifted him up, and he heard voices from above, Whilst we listen only to the voices of earth, we shall endure distress and discouragement. But if filled with the Spirit, we may hear voices which shall ravish our hearts with joy and inspire them with courage. 1. Celestial voices summon our attention a.way from man to God. 'l'here is a. Divine side to our humanity, to our life, our work, and even our sorrows. The spirit of man is capable of apprehending the Divine, and, indeed, only in doing so does it realize the purpose of its existence. God is not far from every one of us; and he is near to all who call upon him in truth. 2. Celestial voices summon us to contemplate the majesty of the Eternal. This is their burden: "Blessed be the glory of tbe Lord from his place." How poor do earth's pleasures, and how paltry do earth's interests seem, when brought into comparison with the heavenly and eternal! The Hebrew prophets certainly enjoyed a. wonderful insight into the majestic attributes of Jehovah. If we will be led by them, they will lead us into the presence, and reveal to us something of the glory, of the Lord of all. Thus may we be freed from bondage to earth's littleness; thus may we learn the true, full lessons of being. 3. Thus earthly trouble may be lost and absorbed in heavenly grandeur. The voice of the rushing, the noise of the wheels, the rustling of the wi □ gs,-these appealed to the imagination and touched the spirit of the prophet; and bis trials and difficulties shrank into their proper insignificance, when he we.s conscious of the nearness and of the infinite superi- ority of the Divine. We may not always be able to reason down our difficulties, to repress our anxieties, to vanquish our temptations. But we may bring all into the presence of Divine visions and Divine voices; and they will assume their just propor- tions, and God will be the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, of a.11.-'l'. Ver. 14.-Hvman bitterness and Divine strength. The Prophet Ezekiel would have been more or less than human had be not felt poignantly the painful commission with which he was entrusted. He was a. patriot as well as a prophet; e.nd his distress and trouble arose not merely from the discouragement natural to his position and service, but from his sympathy with his fellow-countrymen, his censure of their sin, his sorrow for their fate. Yet it was not the will of God that his grief should interfere with the efficiency of his ministry. And the Lord who called him to his special work chose the occasion of the prophet's depression as the occasion of his intervention upon his behalf and for his strengthening. It was when Ezekiel was in bitterness and tbo heat of his spirit that the hand of the Lord was strong upon him. Nor was this experience peculiar to this prophet; many have, in God's service, known Ezekiel's bittorness, and have, in the time of their bitterness, felt God's band upon them, a hand of encouragoment, of guidance, e.nd of blessing. I. TIIE NATURAL DEPRESSION OF THE DISAPPOINTED WORKER FOR Goo. The cir- cumstances described in the context are abundantly sufficient to account for the bitter- ness and heat of the prophet's spirit. Every faithful servaut and minister of God can enter, more or lees completely, into bis feelings. The conditions of labour are often discouraging and distressing. II. '!'HERE IS DANGER LEST THE EFFE0T OF MENTAL BITTERNESS SHOULD BE TIIE CRIPPLING OF THE HANDS FOR El•FICIENT LADOUR. A cheerful mind contributes to efficient toil. Even if the task be difficult e.nd painful, it will not be well performeu if bitternes$ and heat of spirit prevail. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." JI!. DIVINE INTERPOSITION 0AN IMPART STRENGTH, OAN ALLAY VEXATION, 0AN FIT FOR SPIRITUAL MINISTRY. "The hand of the Lord," says the prophet, "was strong upon me." This metaphorical expression is full of significance. 1. Strong to uphold, as a father's hand sustains his child in a difficult and dangerous road. 2, Strong to defend, as the hand of an escort may ward off from his charge the attack  62 THE IlOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [on. m. 1-27.